Random Notes  

BHP's bid to get approval to build a Californian LNG terminal is going nowhere.

David Goodstein notes that OPEC is still claiming it has excess production capacity, but that these claims are their way of deflecting calls for development of alternative energy sources.

OPEC output has increased recently, but Iran has joined Venezuela and Indonesia in the ranks of countries who can't produce their full quota. The president of OPEC is saying "quotas are obsolete". OPEC has also admitteded it may not be able to meet fourth quarter demand.

Hugo Chavez is also saying that OPEC is producing at maximum capacity and that the US and other developed nations need to stop wasting so much oil. Some people are speculating the US will use Columbia as a proxy in a war against Venezuela.

Mobjectivist notes that the US government may be coming clean on the reason behind the invasion of Iraq. Mobjectivist also has a great quote from NBA MVP Steve Nash, who I had the pleasure of watching play at the Sydney Olympics a few years ago - good to see him winning an MVP and that he's a smart guy as well.

A South American energy bloc seems to be forming, which may be a sign of things to come as regions decide to keep their energy reserves for their own use. There are also murmerings of the possible formation of a "non-aligned" Arab / Latin American axis. Haven't these people read Orwell - don't they know that only 3 powers are allowed ?

TomDispatch also has an interesting article on Latin America's sudden move towards freedom from the north called "Moving out of the Superpower Orbit".

Robert McNamara is continuing to voice concerns about US aggression leading to nuclear proliferation and the risks this creates (via Code Three). Meanwhile the Joint Chiefs of Staff are proposing that local commanders be given the right to launch pre-emptive nuclear strikes.

Monkeygrinder suggests we give up on this oil stuff and go back to the good old reliable horse. Bees are pretty useful too (although not so much for transport), but the bee population seems to be in trouble.

Heading out into the farther reaches of the internet, there seems to be an increasing amount of chatter about the initiation of a "Global Year Zero".

Errr - has anyone got any good news ?